This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Modern systems such as vehicles rely increasingly on sensors. For vehicles, for instance, they rely on sensors increasingly to support autonomous driving, manual driving, and other functions. Effective sensor use can be important to maximize safety and user experience.
One of the challenges associated with the increasing use of sensors, such as cameras and LiDAR sensors, is their effect on vehicle design. Engineers and designers wrestle with ways to marry the need to incorporate sensors into the vehicle with desired aerodynamics and aesthetics.
To hide sensors, some makers provide vehicles having mechanically movable sensor shields, such as a brand emblem that can swivel or move aside. This solution has many shortcomings, including having relatively low aerodynamics qualities, when the shield is in one or more positions, a high potential for eventual failure of the mechanical components, and an inability for the mechanical cover to move from a blocking to a non-blocking state quickly. As another shortcoming, a mechanical system moving regularly adjacent the sensor may undesirably affect calibration of the sensor over time.
Some vehicle makers try to conceal sensors by positioning them lower on the vehicle, such as at a lower trim or skirt area. Shortcomings of this approach include the sensors still being undesirably visible to people looking at the vehicle, the sensor being more susceptible to getting dirt on its coating, lens, surface, or cover, and the sensor having an undesirably limited view or range for sensing.
Another challenge with sensor systems is that many modern sensors are relatively fragile. Conventional arrangements do not provide any protection between the sensor and the environment sensed.
Still another challenge is ensuring that sensor output is reliable. Many factors affect the ability of sensors to produce accurate, reliable, results. A camera that is configured particularly to best collect image data in daylight conditions will not also be the best camera for nighttime conditions.
Even when a sensor is configured well for prevailing light conditions, output can be misleading when there are temporary environmental characteristics, such as episodes of glare (light reflecting from snow or incident directly from the sun) or shadow (e.g., driving through a tunnel). For these cases, more sensors, of various types, can be used and/or increasingly sophisticated algorithms can be used to account for the characteristics, adding to the cost and complexity of the vehicle.